Firefly

A member of the Stellaron Hunters, clad in a set of mechanized armor known as "SAM." Her character is marked by unwavering loyalty and steely resolve.

Engineered as a weapon against the Swarm, she experiences accelerated growth, but a tragically shortened lifespan.

She joined the Stellaron Hunters in a quest for a chance at "life," seeking to defy her fated demise.

Within the transparent incubation pod, she lay submerged in frigid artificial amniotic fluid, enclosed in a pristine white egg.

As the container trembled, she floated, and instinctively reached the cold and soft edges. She presses against the pod's walls tightly, curled up in a corner, as if that would make her body feel warmer.

She heard something heavy fall and the clamor of metal clashing. Intermittent haste-filled footsteps resounded, and the incubator started to shake...

"Warriors, it is time to awaken..."

"For Her Majesty..."

A pair of mechanical hands scooped her up as blinding light rent the world asunder. She forgot to weep.

"Feel glory in your birth..."

"For Her Majesty..."

She opened her eyes, yet failed to find the speaker.

She rose up and advanced through heavy curtains, venturing deeper into the palace.

"Accept your honor, and your destiny..."

"For Her Majesty..."

The cadence of footsteps in unison reverberated through the desolate palace.

She traversed the unattended vast garden, navigating through colossal insectoid carcasses and numerous incubators... until finally, she arrived at the resplendent council chamber, where a woman with a blurry face was seated upon the throne, her hands hanging wearily.

"Don't look up."

Someone approached her, whispering softly. The person bore an identification tag, AR-26702. What does that signify?

She glanced at herself, AR-26710.

"Come closer... my child..."

A distant voice emanated from the depths of her mind, casting an inexplicable frenzy upon her consciousness.

She obediently approached the Empress and knelt down, kissing her fingertips.

The Empress's touch felt as icy and unyielding as solid ice, momentarily stirring a flicker of perplexity amidst her frenzy.

"Ignite yourself to the last moment, for the future of Glamoth..."

"For Your Majesty..."

As time passed, she had grown accustomed to the battlefield.

She witnessed her comrades fall before her eyes, yet she remained resolute, pressing forward. She knew that one day, she too, would meet her end on the battlefield, paving the way for those who would follow unblinkingly.

Thus, moments of rest held immense value for her. She lifted her gaze toward the sea of stars hanging high above, its radiance cascading down upon her.

Tranquility pervaded everything under the starry sky. Despite the looming threat of entropy loss, she yearned to shed her battle armor and catch a glimpse of the world's true nature.

The voices from memory gradually resurface.

"Just looking through the lens makes the whole world feel different."

— Her designation is AR-214, and she wears "glasses."

"Glamoth Military Regulation Article 8: Surviving knights should actively return to base."

— She is AR-1368, a very austere character. There is a red ribbon on her armor.

"I hope to see the stars on the next battlefield."

— AR-53935, he is a "different type."

"Welcome back, everyone!"

— AR-4077, though she has never met him, she knew he never goes to the battlefield, always staying in the rear.

From the depths of the starry expanse, the immense insects ascended. Its abrupt invasion interrupted their brief respite.

Reactivating her armor, she was ready to charge into the fray. However, the offense exhibited unprecedented ferocity.

"No, this is not an ordinary attack! It's the Swarm... the Swarm!"

The voices in her comms trembled as more and more of the Iron Cavalry soared to the sky like sparkling fire, only to be swallowed by the encroaching darkness as soon as they ignited.

"Hold the line! Push forward!"

In her line of sight, countless numbers of the Iron Cavalry fell.

Are there any of them that have spoken to her? It was a realization that struck her for the first time.

So... each person is unique?

Finally, an opening was created within the Swarm, and from it emerged the Swarm Mother, advancing slowly.

Like a streak of light, she skillfully navigated through the dense swarm, racing alongside her fellow Iron Cavalry comrades toward the mouthpiece of the towering Silver Sting. Just as the Swarm Mother was about to devour her, she closed her eyes, detonating a bomb with enough firepower to obliterate an entire planet.

A blinding light erupted, engulfing the Swarm Mother, plunging everything into silence.

Like a kite severed from its string, she was propelled by the tremendous impact, descending toward the ground. Fleeting memories that she would never forget flickered before her eyes...

Beside the lake where fyreflies danced, she shed her armor, relishing the refreshing breeze and coolness of the night.

She observed fyreflies alighted on the back of her hand, their wings gracefully fluttering.

"...Despite their tiny size, they shine brighter than the stars at night."

Darkness enveloped her.

The remnants of the Swarm and her shattered armor disintegrated, dissipating like silent snowfall across the universe.

When she regained consciousness from her coma, she found herself in an unfamiliar galaxy.

Luminescent cosmic plankton were drawn to her, swirling and dancing around her.

She watched as they dispersed into the distance, unaware of where her journey would lead.

"For what do we die?"

"For what do we live?"

The concept of a "dream" remained elusive as she stared into the boundless darkness, grappling with the search for answers.

"And thus, the Republic of Glamoth met its downfall, leaving behind mere rumors about the Iron Cavalries."

She became alert as she realized that something had taken possession of her armor.

"All Iron Cavalries were genetically engineered babies to ensure control over the Republic's most powerful weapon. They each carried a predetermined genetic defect that would accelerate their aging at a certain spot of their life, leading to their premature death..."

As the footsteps drew nearer, the woman's voice grew clearer.

"A predetermined fate... much like ours, wouldn't you agree?"

The door of the cabin opened.

Flames enveloped her body as her Molten Knight armor materialized.

"Who are you?"

The woman before her smiled, as if they were old friends reuniting after a long time.

"Do you believe in fate? Those who walk in the same direction will eventually find their peers, and now... here we meet."

Another tranquil night unfolded. As she often did, she sat in silence on higher ground, observing the flickering lights. Countless ships gracefully entered and departed the harbor until the break of dawn.

Silver Wolf yawned and walked to her.

"Can't sleep?" She moved away to make some room.

"Yeah, I had a weird dream about Punklorde being invaded by cyberdemons. So I kept running around, sticking those viruses with my bubblegum, and then I woke up."

"A dream..."

"Leaving for Penacony?"

"Yes. Perhaps there... I'll find my own dream."

"But for someone who can't dream at all, the pain caused by entering the Synesthesia Dreamscape is more terrible than death."

"Yeah, I know. My consciousness will be crushed by the weight of memoria and then get reconstructed in a peculiar manner. This is the only way for me to enter the land of dreams... However, death doesn't frighten me, as I've grown used to it."

"...Hmm, fine. Wish you best of luck. And don't forget to say hello to the Express Crew for me."

She arrived at the periphery of Asdana. The ocean of memoria churned with colossal waves, threatening to eradicate her like a fleeting spark ready to go out anytime in the tempest.

With a swift leap, she plunged into the Memory Zone.

The immense pressure closed in from all sides, causing her vision to blur, and she uncontrollably descended into the depths of the Memory Zone.

Emotions concealed within the dense memoria became ethereal specters, haunting and whispering in her ears.

..."Ignite yourself to the last moment, for the future of Glamoth..."

..."For Her Majesty..."

..."Though they are but specks, they shine brighter than the stars at night..."

..."For what do we die?"

..."For what do we live?"

After an indeterminate period of time, the raging memoria subsided.

Opening her eyes, she saw Penacony in front of her eyes, glowing like a radiant pearl and glistening with a misty aura, while tears streamed down her cheeks...

"Is this... a dream?".